The invention relates to apparatus which automatically flattens or crushes aluminum beverage cans in the longitudinal direction, thereby converting the cans into a compact disposable product which is easier to package or otherwise handle.
Retail eating establishments, such as bars or restaurants, typically accumulate a large volume of spent aluminum cans, usually beverage cans, within short periods of time. These cans must be disposed of or packaged for recycling. Since a large number of spent cans takes up an inordinate amount of space, frequently attempts will be made to manually crush some or more of the spent cans to compact the volume they must take up in a garbage or recycling station located at the establishment.
The task of manually compacting the spent cans is time-consuming and represents an inefficient use of personnel. Furthermore, the process of manually crushing cans is frequently imprecise such that optimal compacting of the disposal space taken up by the cans is normally not achievable. Also, the manual crushing of cans can represent a safety hazard, especially in the event that one or more cans rupture or become distorted with sharp edges.
The present invention is directed to an automatic apparatus in which aluminum cans can be reliably crushed to an optimally compact residue at relatively high-speed and without risk of endangering the safety of the operator. As a result of the operation of the inventive machinery, less space is required to be set aside for spent aluminum cans at the user establishment.